Rapid blood test using brain-derived circular RNAs to spot acute stroke
Investigation of brain-originating circRNAs as targets in blood-based stroke triage diagnostics
This project is developing a quick blood test that looks for brain-originating circular RNAs to help emergency teams identify stroke in people with sudden neurological symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Case Western Reserve University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321597 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you come to the emergency department with sudden weakness, speech trouble, or other stroke symptoms, researchers may ask for a small blood sample. They will look for circular RNAs that come from brain cells and survive in blood better than some proteins. The team will compare samples from people with confirmed stroke to those with other conditions to find reliable RNA markers. The final goal is a fast test that can be used at triage to reduce missed strokes and speed up treatment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who present to the emergency department with acute neurological symptoms when clinicians are considering possible stroke.
Not a fit: People with long-standing, stable neurological conditions or those not in the acute triage setting are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help clinicians recognize stroke more quickly and accurately in the emergency setting, shortening time to treatment and potentially improving recovery.
How similar studies have performed: Prior blood biomarker efforts using proteins have had limited diagnostic accuracy, while using brain-derived circRNAs is a newer approach with encouraging early lab data but not yet proven in large clinical trials.
Where this research is happening
Cleveland, United States
- Case Western Reserve University — Cleveland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'connell, Grant C — Case Western Reserve University
- Study coordinator: O'connell, Grant C
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.